FAQs

About Paperly & How It Works

What is Paperly and how does it help schools?

Paperly is an operations and workflow platform that helps schools replace manual processes with efficient, digital alternatives. It centralises administrative tasks, improves communication, reduces compliance risk and gives staff more visibility and control across day-to-day school operations. Schools use Paperly to streamline repetitive tasks, automate approvals and create more consistent, reliable processes across departments.

How is Paperly different from our SIS or LMS?

Student information systems (SIS) and learning management systems (LMS) store academic, enrolment and learning data — but they’re not designed to manage the operational workflows that sit around them. Paperly complements your core systems by digitising the administrative processes that commonly fall outside the SIS or LMS, such as approvals, communication, data collection and compliance documentation. It fills the gaps without replacing your existing tools.

What types of schools use Paperly?

Paperly is used by independent schools, government schools, Catholic/Diocesan systems, and multi-campus organisations. It supports small primary schools through to large secondary colleges and complex school groups. The platform is flexible enough for schools with simple workflows and powerful enough for those with highly detailed or multi-step processes.

How does Paperly improve operational efficiency for staff?

Paperly reduces manual data entry, removes the need to manage multiple systems, and eliminates confusion caused by spreadsheets, PDFs and email chains. Automated workflows ensure tasks move to the right person at the right time. Staff receive clear prompts, parents receive timely communication and leaders gain accurate, real-time oversight. Schools consistently report significant time savings and smoother collaboration across teams.

Can Paperly integrate with the systems we already use?

Yes. Paperly integrates with a wide range of SIS, LMS, identity platforms and communication tools used across Australia and internationally. Common examples include Synergetic, TASS, Schoolbox, Veracross, Seqta, Intellischool, Wonde, Digistorm and Microsoft identity services. Integrations ensure that student data, contacts and groups always remain accurate and up to date.

How customisable are workflows and processes within Paperly?

Workflows can be tailored to each school’s structure, terminology and approval pathways. The platform adapts to simple single-step processes or complex multi-stage workflows involving multiple departments or approvers. Schools can also configure fields, form layouts and notifications to meet their specific operational or compliance requirements.

Data, Security & Integrations

How does Paperly keep student and family data secure?

Paperly is built with security as a core priority. Data is encrypted in transit and at rest, hosted in secure Australian data centres and managed in accordance with industry best practices. Strict access controls, continuous monitoring and regular security reviews ensure sensitive information remains protected. Schools retain full ownership of their data at all times.

Does Paperly support single sign-on (SSO) for staff and parents?

Yes. Paperly supports SSO through common identity providers used by schools, including Azure AD, Google, Studentnet.ID and other SAML-based services. This allows staff and parents to access Paperly using their existing school credentials, improving security and reducing login friction.

What data synchronises between Paperly and our SIS?

Paperly typically syncs student records, parent/guardian contacts, medical flags, class lists, groups and other operationally relevant data. Synchronisation ensures Paperly always reflects the school’s current source of truth. The exact fields synced vary by SIS and integration method but generally include the core data required for workflow automation and communication.

How does Paperly manage permissions and access levels?

Paperly uses role-based access control, allowing schools to define who can view, create, approve or manage different workflows. Administrators can assign permissions by role, team or individual, ensuring each user only sees what is relevant to their responsibilities. This protects sensitive information and supports clear governance.

Is Paperly compliant with Australian privacy and data standards?

Yes. Paperly is designed to align with Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), state-based education requirements and relevant data protection obligations for K-12 environments. The platform supports secure data handling, auditability and clear data governance — key requirements for both individual schools and Diocese networks.

Which platforms does Paperly integrate with (SIS, LMS, apps and identity providers)?

Paperly integrates with many leading systems used by schools, including student information systems (Synergetic, TASS, Veracross, Intellischool, Edumate), learning platforms (Schoolbox, Seqta), communication tools (Digistorm, Wonde, Alii) and identity providers (Microsoft Azure AD, Google, Studentnet.ID). Integrations are continuously expanding based on school needs and partner collaboration.

Implementation, Support & Scalability

How long does it take to implement Paperly?

Implementation time varies based on the school’s size, number of workflows and integration requirements. Most schools complete setup in a few weeks, while larger groups or Diocese-level implementations may take longer due to multi-school coordination. Paperly guides the entire process to ensure a smooth rollout.

What training and onboarding support do you provide?

Paperly provides structured onboarding sessions, self-paced learning resources, and ongoing support from a specialised education-focused customer success team. Training is tailored to different roles — administrators, approvers, operational staff and leaders — ensuring confident adoption across departments.

Can Paperly scale across multi-campus schools or Diocese groups?

Yes. Paperly is designed for both single-school and multi-school environments. Diocese and school groups can standardise workflows, enforce minimum compliance requirements, view cross-school reporting and support local customisation where needed. Each school can operate independently while still aligning to shared governance expectations.

What ongoing support is available for staff and administrators?

Support is available via email, ticketing and scheduled success calls, with access to an expanding knowledge base and onboarding resources. Schools also receive updates, feature releases and best-practice guidance as part of their subscription.

How often is Paperly updated with new features or improvements?

Paperly delivers continuous improvements throughout the year. Enhancements are heavily shaped by customer feedback, roadmap priorities and evolving compliance requirements. Updates occur with minimal disruption and do not require downtime or manual patching.

What does the subscription include and how is pricing structured?

Paperly uses a modular subscription model, allowing schools to subscribe only to the components they need. Pricing typically includes access to the platform, integrations, support, onboarding and ongoing product updates. Multi-school and Diocese arrangements can include additional benefits such as centralised reporting or standardised configuration.